Big 12 commissioner says conference is 'poorer' without Stoops

Bob Bowlsby spent much of his state of the Big 12 address Monday trumpeting why he is optimistic that the return of a conference title game may yield better representation for the league in the College Football Playoff. In that sense, Bowlsby said they are competing at a high level financially with the other top conferences.

He added, "Generally speaking, playing a full round robin and having our two best teams play each other on the last day of the season is a good thing and a right way to conduct our championship".

While that will be a nice added benefit for a conference that has seen revenue continue to grow each season since 2012 - with team's expected to bring in $34.8 million this season - the commissioner reiterated that the added money that will come into the conference did not have an influence on the decision to add the championship game.

Bowlsby said he ran into Stoops last weekend.

"The finances of it were - I don't ever recall them being discussed".

"I have asked... repeatedly over the past 12 months why we have a signing date", said Bowlsby - adding that no one seems to have a good answer.

"As most of you remember, the ACC was, I believe, 2-13 in the BCS era, and now they're on top of the heap".

"It gets a little tiresome because I know we play at a very high level, and I know that top to bottom we're the best in the country in terms of balance", Bowlsby said. "The method we conduct our championship and regular season is the most hard because you never miss anybody".

"What I worry about is us not being able to evaluate", said TCU Coach Gary Patterson.

It finally gives the conference that 13 game which cost Baylor a potential trip to the playoffs in 2014.

Most glaringly, the Big 12 must fare much better in non-league play to increase the likelihood that its title game matches teams with playoff-worthy resumes.

"We intentionally wanted to strengthen it", Bowlsby told CNHI Sports Oklahoma inside The Ford Center at The Star following his press conference. "I like what I'm doing, I like the schools, the board has been very good to me".

"I think there should have been a team from the Big 12 that should have been in the playoffs two out of the last three years". "I plan on being here a while".

Those could be formidable challenges, especially with none of those Big 12 teams playing those games at home.